Cricket
Lewis retains place at Lord’s

LEAMINGTON Cricket Club batsman Tom Lewis has been re-selected for the MCC Young Cricketers (YCs) programme in 2012.

Lewis scored over 900 runs for the YCs in 2011 with a top score of 132 against Gloucestershire 2nds at Cheltenham in August.

A 19-man squad has been picked for the 2012 season, which includes six returning players, eight new signings, and three overseas players.

Amongst the new faces joining Lewis at Lord’s this summer will be three players with significant sporting pedigree: top order batsman, Liam Gough (son of ex-England fast bowler, Darren Gough), bowling all-rounder Jamie Hoddle (son of former England footballer and manager, Glen Hoddle), and batting all-rounder Billy Root (younger brother of Yorkshire and England Lions opening batsman, Joe Root).

The squad will be aiming to use the programme to launch their professional cricket careers, and follow in the footsteps of recent graduates – and now international cricket captains – Ross Taylor (New Zealand), Darren Sammy (West Indies) and Will Porterfield (Ireland).

MCC head coach, and former Gloucestershire and England all-rounder Mark Alleyne said: “I am delighted to offer Tom a new contract for the MCC YCs programme in 2012.

“He is an experienced cricketer now and scored a lot of runs for the YCs towards the end of last season. I am sure he will be an asset to the squad this summer.”

The YCs will compete in the South Division of the ECB’s Second XI competitions in 2012 and will attend a world-class pre-season training experience alongside a combined MCC Universities team in Abu Dhabi next month.